BEC BRITTAIN & JOE BRITTAIN, are “two artists with very different work who happen to be married”.
BEC’s work, sculpture and photography – “are the results of her radical process of re-engineering complex natural systems in irreverent and striking ways. Her bug sculptures, combining parts of insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and more, are perfect feats of physical precision that re-imagine the genetic evolution of these small creatures. The finished pieces, dubbed ‘monsters’ by Brittain, are beautiful and delicate mash-ups of the intricate architecture of evolution. A graduate of NYU and the Architectural Association in London, Bec Brittain’s approach to sculpture combines elements of architectural model making, the preciousness of contemporary creative design, and her own obsessions with the overlapping realms of philosophy, pseudoscience, and science fiction. Her newest sculptures, shown alongside her bugs, are experiments designed to grow crystals on the surface of rope (!!). Inspired by discoveries made during her search for the right presentation method for her ‘monsters’ – Brittain has created 2 structures that are at the same time – models for crystal farming – and radical sculptures reminiscent of JEAN TINGUELY and DAVID ALTMEJD.”

“JOE BRITTAIN’S sculptures, drawings, and wheat pastings appear loose, ambivalent, and even arbitrary upon first glance, but are in fact tight articulation of secret alchemical (!!) combinations of materials, formulas and processes.
Brittain’s compositions reference geodes, mountains, minimalism, mine shafts, color field theory, FRANZ KLINE, faux finishing, MARK ROTHKO, architectural obsolescence, aggregation, and much more – fusing disparate ideas together into highly complex art objects that speak about the future and past of the built environment (!!).Formal distinctions in Brittain’s work between architectonic shapes, biological structures, and geographic topology (!!) are blurred and become slippery modes of psychic transformation, changing scale and definition with every intimately constructed detail.”
“Brittain’s work creates an uneasy ambiguity with charismatic presence and wit.”
Joe Brittain has a degree in art history from the University at Buffalo and recently returned from a residency at the Vermont Studio Center.

Mike Egan also tells us, in response to questions about the show’s title – the artists’ state: “Psychotic Neighbor is open to poetic interpretation but contains a hint of paranoia, an ‘Other’ that is potentially listening to your thoughts, a world of minds separated by walls but still in communication.”
RAMIKEN CRUCIBLE considers – ‘PSYCHIC NEIGHBOR’ – as two independent solo shows – representing both BEC and JOE BRITTAIN’S fist solo show(s) in New York City.

RAMIKEN CRUCIBLE – is an amazing space – carved and stripped out of a local Lower East Side basement – it is: design on a budget – that takes top marks. An underground space – dedicated to (no pun intended !!) – showing truly underground art and music – if they can keep up the momentum & content of their first 2 shows – L.E.S./Lower East Side – capital A is for ART galleries – carved out of skinny storefronts – look out !!

. . . of course, we are not referring to LaVIOLA BANK !! their brand new space – is most def not a skinny made-over schmata-shop storefront on Orchard St – !! – in fact you could say they were the first proper-sized gallery on the Lower East Side. LaVIOLA BANK first !! took up the eastward, frontier turf drive for better, cheaper space – in the depths of East Broadway !! that is east of Essex !!
if RAMIKEN CRUCIBLE – situated even more radically eastward – nigh deep into the corner of ungentrified and local ‘hood’ territory – i.e. Clinton St – is the ‘black box’ – of gallery expansion eastward – then LaVIOLA BANK – was the ‘clear glass’ forerunner – breaking ground eastwards and looking towards larger, squarer, more professionally – attuned exhibition space.